If I have any routine here in France, it’s constant movement. It’s actually not routine at all. Really, it’s a lack of a routine. I love it. I freekin love it. Look at my schedule since I’ve been in France. Seriously, just look at this crap. It’s flashback time.

September

• Spent several days in Reykjavik, never learning how to pronounce “Reykjavik”
• Ate a freekin whale
• OMG I GET TO SEE MY GIRLFRIEND EVERY DAY OMGOMGOMG SO HAPPY!!! Also, got used to eating well.
• Moved into the temple and got to know my roommates over many bottles of wine

October

• Started work on the 1st.
• One week of vacation, spent working. Miserable. MISERABLE. Students wrote “fuck” all over their papers. Who does that?
• Got paid. Celebrated over a crepe dinner (YUM) with Krista and the mouse.
• Very loud Halloween party at my host’s house. Slightly more crossdressers than in the US, a lot less whores. Also had a little Halloween outing of our own where we met Darryl the devil.
• Insulted my students with rude stereotypes of French people. Realized they were geniuses when they wrote about conversations they’d have with famous people.
• First shopping experience in France with the mousinator. Spent an hour trying to find the place in the rain, another hour trying to figure out how to unlock the shopping carts, another hour staring in disgust at the meats they sold, and the last hour marveling at the number of baguettes in each shopping cart.

November

• Another week of vacation. Seriously?
• Got excited about my first protest, annoyed by the 2nd, and outraged at every one after that.
• Hosted Antoine, a couchsurfer and one of my best friends in Nantes now. 3 nights turned into 3 months.

December

• Had an awesome Thanksgiving away from home in the form of a potluck dinner at our place, which also served as a wonderful birthday celebration. Cooked an amazing huge bird with the old lady.
• Another 2 weeks of amazing vacation for Christmas break spent with the family, Brian, Tracy and the mouse. Amazed with how much work I don’t do. Started with a long trip to Rome, sleeping in two airports along the way, drying my clothes at the airport then wearing them all to save space in my backpack.
• Spent a wonderful Christmas with those I love most in Italy. Dressed up like Santa and gave out cheap gifts. Took lotsa pictos.
• Slept in the Geneva underground with the drug addicts. And my mom.

January

• Spent New Years in Paris. The celebration stank, but it was great to be with my loved ones.
• Didn’t write many blog posts. I must have actually worked this month or something.

February

• Spent a weekend in Dublin, because tickets were cheaper than the price of a brownie. Stayed with awesome couchsurfers.
• Got dumped and spent one long lonely night in the Marseille airport, but it’s ok. Most depressed I’d been in a while, but looking back I already feel silly. Logic: I don’t want to be with this woman anyway because she’s clearly crazy because she doesn’t want to be with me. I don’t want to be with an insane person, she could kill me in my sleep.
• Lost myself in the labyrinth that is the medina of Fez, the ancient capital of Morocco
• Met a bunch of couchsurfers and had many good times in Marrakech, the Barcelona of Morocco.
• Experienced some beautiful and dangerous hiking in the countryside of Morocco.
• Played tourist in Tangier before saying goodbye to Morocco.
• Felt like regurgitated poop after taking the Foreign Service Officer Test in the US embassy in Paris.

March

• The single life inspired a streak of incredible productivity – started writing a book, learning guitar, and learning another language.
• Found out I passed the FSOT. Called my mom immediately out of excitement.
• Flew to Chicago for an interview with TFA. I at least thought it went incredibly. Had to buy two sets of tickets to get there because I’m an idiot.

April

• Had my first hitchhiking experience with Krista and went to Bordeaux with the Nantes family where I met Mathieu, a couchsurfer and possibly the coolest guy in the world.
• Had a very successful American food night with the help of Krista.
• Two weeks of vacation: Began a pilgrimage from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Had dreams of great adventures, spiritual awakenings and philosophical ponderings. Found that it was just a lot of walking and pain.
• Almost died in the mountains of Portugal. Didn’t.
• Hated Spain at first for a dozen reasons. Got my beautiful camera and pictures stolen.
• Thought the pigrimage was hell, ironically, but found it all worthwhile when I arrived in Santiago two weeks later.
• April 30th (this coming Friday) will mark the end of my contract and will also be the best party the Temple Protestant has ever seen. Saying goodbye to all of the wonderful friends I have here.

May

(coming soon)

• Nantes -> Paris
• Paris -> Madrid
• Madrid -> Istanbul, travel around Turkey
• Istanbul -> Madrid
• Madrid -> Canary Islands
• Canary Islands -> Madrid
• Madrid -> Paris
• Paris -> NYC

I’m here in Nantes for a few short days that include 4 days of work and 2 days of partying before travels. How did I get this life? Seriously, what the crap?

Related posts:

1. March-May Madness
2. Back to Reality